Congratulations to Jeff Gordon

Thursday, June 21, 2007 9:13 am Daniel J. Summers

Jeff and his wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, welcomed their first child into the world yesterday around 9am. The baby's name is Ella Sofia. Congratulations, Jeff and Ingrid!

Keep on Praying

Thursday, June 14, 2007 7:39 am Daniel J. Summers

I have received an update on Charles and Judith's baby - our prayers are working! (The original request is here.)

The latest update on the baby is that we saw the doctor today and the baby still has a normal heartbeat, and there is no sign of any infection so far.

Thanks to all for your prayers, support, kind words or thoughts.

If you want to share any encouragement with them, just leave it in the comments, and I'll send it to them.

Time to Pray

Thursday, May 31, 2007 8:32 am Daniel J. Summers

An acquaintance of mine and his wife, Charles and Judith Hottel, need a miracle. Below is his message…

Hi to all of you!

We were planning to tell all of you about Judith's pregnancy when the baby reached the 20th week, but events have overtaken us. Judith's water broke around 9:00 A.M. Tuesday, May 29^th. At the latest sonogram the baby's heart was still beating. The baby is only 17 weeks old, far too young to survive if Judith goes into labor. There is nothing we or the medical people can do at this point, except of course we are hoping beyond hope, and praying for a miracle from God to save our precious baby. We would greatly appreciate any prays of support that you could give for our baby's miracle healing and for Judith and I to accept God's will.

This is very, very hard. Just two weeks ago today we got the cutest sonogram picture of the baby. She or he was lying curled up with the thumb pointing toward the mouth as though sucking. When we say the picture on the monitor we both exclaimed “Oh my God”! The baby had grown so much in just a few weeks. We are both trying very hard to keep our happy and joyous feelings associated with this picture.

Thank you for all of your prayers!

Charles Hottel

Adios, Montgomery

Tuesday, February 20, 2007 11:17 pm Daniel J. Summers

We've now departed from Montgomery, headed to points westward. It's been a fun 9 years! The blog will continue, maybe even have posts from the road. (Actually, this is a post from the road.)

Stay tuned - more right-wing rants to come…

2006 Year in Review: The Good

Wednesday, January 3, 2007 10:13 pm Daniel J. Summers

Here is part 3 of the series “2006 Year in Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Ridiculous”. The bad things and the ridiculous things are what they are, but there was still some good in 2006.

Deployment Complete

I completed my first deployment this year. It was a tough time, but I was in a safe place and was able to participate in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. I wrote a lot about how this deployment affected the way I view things in my posts “Appreciate What You Have” and “Do Not Bend”. The Lord protected me over there, and my family at home. My oldest son stepped up and helped a lot while I was gone, and my wife kept everything going at home, in spite of how difficult it was at times.

Saddam Hussein Executed

(Link: Fox News)

Saddam Hussein's execution was an important development in the War on Terror. Although he had been out of power for years, seeing him brought to justice after a trial is a great symbol of the power of democracy. Some people are upset that he was not tried for even more crimes; but, considering the 100 or so deaths he was on trial for was enough to get him the death penalty, what more could they want? You can't kill the guy twice! (Some folks over at the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler (language warning in effect) have some ideas - as well as the video of the actual execution.)

As the war in Iraq and Afghanistan continues, more and more of these high-level leaders are being either captured or killed. If they're captured, the justice system will do its job; and, if they're killed, well… that just saves time. And, as the people of the Middle East begin to see democracy and a rule of law take hold, they'll be drawn to it.

Tennessee Vols and Jeff Gordon

(Links: UTSports.com | NASCAR.com)

In college football and NASCAR, my folks made a resurgence after a disappointing 2005. The Tennessee Vols followed up their first losing season since Phil Fulmer had become head coach with a 9-3 finish, losing only to #2 Florida, #4 LSU, and #13 Arkansas. Throughout the year, quarterback Erik Ainge matured greatly, and became more willing to hand off the ball to a running back, which lead to more big passes opening up for him. Freshman running back LaMarcus Coker had an outstanding year, and looks to be one of the best running backs Tennessee has had in a while - and that's saying something. Congratulations to the Vols on a great year.

Jeff Gordon became the Nextel Cup Champion! Well, OK, Jimmie Johnson was top driver, but since Jeff owns Jimmie's cars, he is the owner's points champion. He did finish the season in 6th as a driver. The comes after a season when he did not make the Chase for the Nextel Cup (although he did finish at the “top of the losers” 11th spot). Consistency was the name of the game this year for Gordon, crew chief Steve Letarte, and the rest of his crew; he finished in the top 10 in half of the 36 races, and won 2 of them. Were it not for two mechanical problems and a wreck back-to-back-to-back, he would have given his protégé a run for his money. On top of that, he got married in 2006, and he and his wife are now expecting their first child. Congratulations x 3 for you, Jeff, and here's to a great 2007!

Those are the best things to come out of 2006, in my humble opinion. If you've read all three parts, you'll realize that in the big picture, these don't quite balance out - Tennessee's winning season doesn't offset North Korea's nuclear tests, for example. But, what this does illustrate is that even when bad things of enormous import are happening, it is still possible to be personally happy and satisfied.

Merry Christmas 2006

Monday, December 25, 2006 10:44 pm Daniel J. Summers

I wish each and every one of you a merry Christmas. I've created an album on Webshots with some pictures of one of the fun things we did this Christmas season - making gingerbread houses! Have a wonderful last week of 2006.

Appreciate What You Have

Tuesday, July 11, 2006 3:05 am Daniel J. Summers

I had originally planned to post something on the 4th of July, but that day came and passed with little time. So, a week later, I thought I would post it less as an Independence Day item and more of just a general item.

I am currently out of the county - have been for about two months, with another two months to go. In my day to day life, I tried to be appreciative of people and things, but this has given me a perspective that I didn't have. There are four or five of us that work together, and on the 4th, we were all down. We missed our families, and we missed our country. We didn't see any fireworks, no parades with American flags, no concerts, no cookouts, no little kids in cute, patriotic outfits.

I'm not looking for pity - I'm doing what I swore an oath to do, and am fortunate to have not had to do it before now. What I am saying, though, is to stop and think about the familiar things in your life. Do you hug or kiss your spouse before or after work? Do your kids shout “Daddy!” and come running to you, and almost knock you over because they're happy that you're home? Do you get to sit down at a table with your family and eat? Do you wear a t-shirt that has the American flag on it? Do you pick up the phone and call your friends? Do you go to church with your family on Sunday mornings?

These are all things that I would be doing this summer, were I still at home. And, they're also some of the things that I'm missing (though there are many, many other things as well). So, for my sake - make that hug or kiss count. Fall over and roll around in the floor and tickle those kids. Talk to those people sitting around the dinner table with you, and thank the Lord that you can display or even wear the flag without making yourself a target. Go to church, hang out with your friends, go to the grocery store, mow the grass, take a walk with your family - then ask yourself how you might feel if you could not do those things. I can tell you how I feel - it's not good, and it's the reason I'm taking the time to post this here.

Carpe diem is not just for intellectuals or party-hearty-ers. Enjoy the people in your life, and the things with which you have been blessed. Take that little extra time to take in the things you enjoy, and let the people who mean the most to you know that. You never know when you may not have the chance again.

An Open Letter to Cindy Sheehan

Thursday, August 25, 2005 10:00 pm Daniel J. Summers

Before I get into this, a side note - Jason Deal, a young man in our church, had a really bad ATV accident last week. He is currently paralyzed, although his back is not severed. Over the next few weeks, the doctors will be able to assess the nerve damage he sustained, and over the next half year, they will know if he will be able to regain any movement. To keep folks informed, his recovery is being blogged at jasondeal.blogspot.com. Take a moment to pray for him and his recovery.

Dear Cindy Sheehan,

First of all, congratulations - you have managed to illustrate everything that is wrong with the anti-war movement in one convenient package. Your pain is understandable, and I am truly sorry that your son was lost in the War on Terror. But, as any good counselor will tell you, there is a constructive way to deal with loss, and there is a destructive way.

Ma'am, your son Casey died as a hero. He was, by all accounts, a great young man who believed in giving of himself for others. I'm sure he learned this ethic while growing up in your home. Would he be happy with your self-serving stand - camping out across the street from the Commander in Chief while he's on vacation? What would he say to you if he could come back and see you trying to turn his selfless act of heroism into a self-aggrandizing vendetta of victimization?

Your demand to meet with the President is quite rich - especially given the fact that you've already met him once. He even kissed you! Back then, you said he was serious about winning the war, and you knew he was a man of faith. What's changed? Besides, you can't really expect him to set a new precedent along the lines of “anyone who comes and camps out across from the ranch can come talk”, do you?

You are letting your grief color your view of what is going on in this world. We are engaged in a global struggle against an enemy that has no qualms about launching a stealth attack on a civilian target whenever they feel like it. Even you, ma'am, are an infidel to them - especially as a divorcee. The enemy sees you as part of the problem - and we who believe that Operation Iraqi Freedom is the right thing to do to protect our nation also see you as part of the problem. This may explain why you've been associating yourself with groups like MoveOn.org.

The true irony in all this is that your son died to protect your freedom to do exactly what you're doing now. Few other countries (and the leaders of those countries) would extend to you the courtesy of allowing your protest at the edge of their personal property. But freedom is a two-edged sword - and this means that I also have the right to tell you that you are doing more harm than good. You've said that the war is not “worth it”, even that this country is not worth dying for.

And, a word to your supporters, specifically Maureen Dowd. The moral authority of mothers who bury children killed in Iraq is not, as you claim, absolute. Let me explain about children - God blesses you with them, and you have approximately 18 years to instill in them the values that you feel are worth passing from one generation to another. Once they reach that age, though, they become adults. Mothers and fathers are not “sending their kids off to war.” Casey Sheehan, along with every other active duty, reserve, and guard member (a group which includes me), chose to join the military as adults. We pledged to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, and to obey the orders of those appointed over us. Each of us has different reasons we made that decision - but, when it comes down to it, we have the integrity and honor to follow through on that commitment.

Ms. Sheehan, please go home. Go home to the children you still have with you. Celebrate the life you have. Celebrate Casey's life, his giving spirit, and the cause for which he chose to risk his life. If this country is distasteful to you, look into Canada, Britain, or Australia. (Or, better yet, look into Cuba, and see how our nation looks then.) Stop allowing anti-war and anti-Bush groups to exploit your loss and our nation's loss. And, finally, stop giving our enemy a morale boost. All of us who are still trying to win this war would greatly appreciate it.

Our Miracle Baby

Tuesday, March 15, 2005 10:15 pm Daniel J. Summers

Jameson Reese Summers, our third child, was born on February 28^th, 2005. His story is nothing short of a miracle, and I'd like to share it with you.

Back in 2000, when our second son Jordan was born, my wife Michelle had some complications. By the time her second C-section had healed, she had hernias all across her abdomen. The surgery to heal these involved placing mesh from hip to hip, and from her pelvis to the middle of her abdomen. Once in, this mesh fuses not only to the layers around the hernias, but also to the internal organs. We were told that our childbearing days needed to be over - this mesh would significantly complicate any future pregnancy.

In November of 2003, Michelle was diagnosed with post-strep GN, an auto-immune kidney disease, where once the body finishes fighting off a bout of strep throat, it turns towards the kidneys. By the time this was diagnosed, her kidneys were in very bad shape, and we were told that it would be over a year before they would be back to normal. In addition, our plan was working well - our two children were growing up, both potty-trained, and we were quite happy with our family.

In July of 2004, we learned that we were expecting our third child. Nearly everyone involved in my wife's health care tried to convince her to terminate the pregnancy. One notable exception was her OB, Dr. Keith Martin of OB/GYN Associates of Montgomery, who knew us from our second birth, and knew we would not be interested. Instead, he immediately began researching and consulting with her other doctors, and came up with a plan. We were praying for the baby to reach 24 weeks, after which point his chances of survival outside the womb would be much greater. 24 weeks came and went, and Jameson was still there! We were thankful for any days we got past that.

At 33 weeks, Michelle was hospitalized due to blood pressure fluctuations. We thought that the delivery day was just around the corner, but instead, the doctors gave Jameson a couple of steroid shots to mature his lungs, then sent Michelle home on bed rest, with twice-weekly appointments. At the 35-week appointment, Dr. Martin said that he was convinced that Jameson would do okay at 36 weeks, and that we would schedule it for the next Monday, which was exactly 36 weeks.

Of course, you've already figured out that Jameson was born, and that he is doing fine. The C-section at 36 weeks was done for the benefit of Michelle's health - her kidneys were really struggling, filtering for two while being squished! But, when Jameson was born, he had his umbilical cord around his neck, along with a knot in his cord. These are serious conditions - he would not have made it many more days with that knot in his cord. This was the perfect time for him to be born.

There are too many things that worked out for this to be mere chance. God had His hand on Michelle and Jameson, throughout the whole time. Dr. Martin worked overtime on managing Michelle's care, and when the general surgeon who had been scheduled to help with the mesh didn't show, he and one of his partners completed the very complicated C-section. Jameson truly is our miracle baby.

Of course, I wouldn't make you read all the way to here and not include a picture… :)

Ivan the Terrible

Thursday, September 16, 2004 1:00 pm Daniel J. Summers

Ivan has now reached Montgomery - right on the verge of being a category 1 hurricane. So far, the power is still on at our house, although the back door is leaking like a sieve, and water's coming in the stove's exhaust fan. My wife and children are in Greenville, SC, avoiding this weather. I don't think I've done this much mopping in quite a while! Please keep all of us in your prayers during this time.